Chronicling Anthems Around the Globe

Stephanie (Fi) Dieter directed the film Anthems: A Journey Around the World about Capri Everitt. They answered some questions about it along with Capri’s mother Kerrie.

Fi, how did you get involved in the anthems project?

Stephanie: The Everitt family was looking for a filmmaker who could transform nine months of raw travel footage into a captivating documentary that would tell the story of how a crazy idea became an inspiring and heartwarming adventure about the true meaning of family and world unity through song. I pitched my idea for the film, we had a couple of interviews over Skype and talked about how their vision for the film could potentially fit with mine. A few weeks later I got a call from Kerrie and Tom Everitt telling me they wanted me to direct the film. My mind immediately knew the central theme would be the power of song uniting us past our differences. Throughout the film the family share, in their own words, what different aspects of the journey were like to them. I hoped this would inspire and motivate other families to do something together that could bring them closer, something that matters and that can make a difference in the world.

How much did you travel with the family?

I actually didn’t travel at all. Most of my job consisted of coordinating the filming at a couple of additional events such as the TED Talk in Mumbai, which I did remotely from Atlanta, GA. We also had the family over in Atlanta to film a couple of interview set ups and for the music production for the film.

What were some of the challenges of production or post? Was there one country that was particularly challenging? One country that was especially easy?

The most challenging part was to compile and select just the right clips and segments to go in each section of the film to be able to tell the whole story. It was no easy task to discard many great clips and use those which were essential and conveyed new information to move the story in the direction we wanted it to go. It was like putting together pieces of a puzzle in an effort to serve a larger story. In the end, I think we were all very satisfied with the result. Ultimately, we wanted the editing to feel organic and invisible, allowing for a fully immersive emotional experience that didn’t feel dragged on. Furthermore, producing the soundtrack for Anthems was my real first venture into music production. That was a great challenge that really allowed me to develop a new skillset and I was very happy with the result (coming to Spotify soon!)

Did you have a favorite country or anthem?

France is forever in my heart and La Marseillaise was one of my favorites anthems that I already knew before, so I knew it had to be included. However, as we were going through the process, the anthem of the Philippines clicked with me in a way that I didn’t expect. Now, I know it by heart. It’s one of those that immediately makes you smile when you hear it.

Were there scenes you wish you could have included but for some reason didn’t?

There were so many great moments and stories from each of the 80 countries that I wish we could have included them all. Unfortunately, we had to tell a full story and due to time constraints we just couldn’t really develop them in a way that made sense for the storyline we were following.

What do you feel is the message of Anthems for our members?

That each one of us has a talent which makes us unique and that we should make the most of it not only for ourselves but to change the world for the better. Anthems is very much about the importance of family, including our world family, because at the end of the day we are all one Earth. We may speak different languages, come from different backgrounds and sing different songs but in the end, if we come from a place of openness, compassion, unity and understanding, we have the power to become stronger and better human beings.

What are you working on now?

At the moment, there are a couple of big projects I’m pretty excited about, slated to go into production this fall. I wish I could give you more details at this time but there are NDA’s in place!

Kerrie, what made you and Capri think you could accomplish the audacious goal of the Anthems project?

Kerrie: Honestly, in terms of the travel planning and logistics, when we first came up with the plan, I had no idea if it was actually going to be financially possible and realistic within a one year time frame. However, as I began to plot out the flights around the globe, I realized that we could actually make it happen. Once we had a map of our journey and a set plan, we started to seek out sponsors and managed to get Flight Centre and Eurail on board as major sponsors; that helped a lot.
In terms of learning and performing the anthems, I will let Capri speak to that.

Capri: At first, I thought the whole idea was a little insane. After all, that is a lot of anthems to learn in such a short time, plus national anthems are definitely something you do not want to mess up. However, my parents told me that if I could learn 5 anthems in a week, they thought I could do it. In that week I learned the British, French, American, Mexican and Israeli anthems and I knew I could pull it off. Once I started learning anthems, I found people from each country that were willing to help me learn their national anthems and it became much easier.

How did you plan this mammoth project with so much travel?

Kerrie: I approached the travel planning like a giant puzzle pieced together using a gigantic map of the world on my dining room table along with some amazing Internet flight search tools. I was working with a limited budget and a set time frame (we knew we could not take more than 10 months off work and did not want to home school our kids for longer than one school year). Once the dates for each of the 80 countries had been established, the next step was working with the charity we were raising money for, SOS Children’s Villages, to set up “anthem singing events” where Capri would sing the national anthem with the kids in each village and we would often stay overnight there. Overall, it was a massive logistical exercise that ended up falling into place perfectly and I just loved the challenge of making it all work.

How did your family manage to travel together for so long, and still get along?

Capri: I think that I became close with my brother during our trip because it kind of forced us to get along because we didn't really have anyone else. We definitely had our moments, but I think we would have found it a little bit boring if we didn't have a sibling to talk to.

What is it like to have a child with so much drive and direction and ambition?

Kerrie: I definitely feel like it is a big responsibility to channel and direct that drive. Obviously, talent means nothing without hard work and perseverance and so Tom and I have tried hard to give both of our children the tools to follow their passions. Capri has loved to sing since a very young age and this 80 anthems project gave her an incredible opportunity to work on her talent and use it to the best of her ability to help other children around the world.

Comments

I am trying to remember the 3 shorts and the main film from July 2018. I lent this volume to my Reverend at Unity Church in Albany by placing it under her office door on a day that she was not in. No one remembers seeing it. It had Freddie Silva in the Bonus interview discussing his research on Resurrection rituals and that Jesus possibly was never crucified on the cross. My SSC collection is now not only missing one volume but is also a topic of major importance for discussion. Did the original Christian Church change the Bible to create a manmade story of the risen Christ? Can you please let me know the four movies on the July volume? Can you supply me with a replacement volume? Thank-you for your kindness and help in this matter.